The present invention is directed to cleaving of fiber optic elements, and more particularly to an improved tool which is especially useful in cleaving fiber optic elements preparatory to subsequent splicing thereof.
In the field of fiber optics, it is often necessary to join or splice together two optic elements by abutting the ends thereof to provide a high efficiency, light coupling therebetween. An inherent problem which has existed in this field involves the achievement of extremely accurate axial alignment between the abutting ends and the achievement of clean, mirror-type surfaces for the ends of the optical fibers. For example, it is ideal that the ends of the optical fibers be cleaved or cut so that the end surface is precisely perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber, although up to a three degree variation is tolerable. Additionally, the end surface is ideally mirrored and extremely smooth and polished, as opposed to having a "mist" type surface, a "hackled" type surface or a spurred end. With these latter types of surfaces and ends, it is necessary to polish the end surfaces to provide for an effective and suitable end surface for splicing. The achievement of these desired objectives are further complicated by the extremely small nature of the optical fibers, the thickness of which often approximates that of a human hair.
An improved method and tool for achieving these objectives is disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 017,344, filed on even date herewith, in the name of Logan et al and entitled "Method And Tool For Cleaving Fiber Optic Elements."
According to the method of that application, grooving means are first caused to traverse about the entire circumference of the fiber optic element to form a circumferential groove therein. Next, the fiber optic element is stressed in the vicinity of the groove in order to produce a clean failure thereat which will result in a clean, highly mirrored end surface for the cleaved element. The tool in accordance with the invention of that application comprises support means having a longitudinal axis for supporting the fiber optic element therealong, grooving means for grooving the surface of a fiber optic element, and means for mounting the grooving means to revolve about the longitudinal axis of the support means to groove the entire circumference of the fiber optic element. Once such a groove is formed in the fiber optic element, the fiber optic element may be stressed, such as for example by pulling of one end of the fiber optic element, to cleave the element into first and second portions and thereby produce a clean, mirrored end surface.
More particularly, the tool which is the subject of that application includes an elongated support handle for supporting a fiber optic element and a housing rotatably mounted on the support handle to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the handle. The housing includes a grooving element offset from the longitudinal axis and an engagement causing auxiliary support member which is normally biased away from the grooving element but which is movable to a position for causing the grooving element to engage the fiber optic element. The support member includes two spaced supporting legs for supporting a portion of the fiber optic element and moving it into engagement with the grooving element positioned between the spaced legs so that the fiber optic element is slightly deflected or bowed to provide a self-compensating feature for forming deeper grooves in relatively thick fiber optic elements and shallower grooves in relatively thin fiber optic elements.